Gopher Football
Will Gilreath feel the same way at about 2:30 p.m. CST Saturday afternoon? Wisconsin is the Gophers’ biggest rival ““ from the two coaches not exactly at a point where they exchange holiday cards, to Bret Bielema saying, slightly paraphrased, that the Badgers recruit Minnesota as well as anyone, to Kim Royston having issues getting out of Madison, there is no love lost in this back-and-forth.
The three-point favorite Gophers are trying to reclaim Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the 1st time since 2003. Will they? CBSsports.com, Accuscore, and five of seven Athlon sports writers say Wisconsin wins. Former Badger Troy Vincent thinks the Gophers are the 2nd best team in the Big Ten. For the record, I say the Gophers win 31-24. Wisconsin finished 9th in the conference last year in points allowed, and look just as vulnerable this year on defense.
We get a scouting report on the Badgers from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel beat reporter Jeff Potrykus.
GH: I would say the Gophers’ biggest rival is Wisconsin, is it the same way for the Badgers?
JP: I’d say Minnesota is the No. 1 rival, with Iowa 1A. The Minnesota rivalry has always been heated, regardless of the teams’ records. I think back to the 1993 game in Minneapolis or the 2005 game in Minneapolis as two examples of how anything is possible when these teams meet.
I think the intense recruiting battles add to the flavor and I think most would agree the respective head coaches probably don’t exchange holiday greetings, if you know what I mean.
All those factors make it fun for the fans, which is what the game is all about.
GH: How much talk is there in Madison about Kim Royston?
JP: There is little talk among the fans really. Several players know him well, still keep in contact with him and to be blunt have no hard feelings at all. They wish him well and certainly aren’t targeting him this week.
GH: How good is QB Scott Tolzien, and the fact this will be his first road start — that a concern for Bret Bielema and his staff?
JP: Tolzien is smart, accurate, poised and tough. He does a tremendous job going through his progressions and delivering the ball on time and on target, in a place where his receivers can get yards after the catch. The only real concern isn’t whether he’ll handle the road test. I think the key will be whether Minnesota can flush him from the pocket. He isn’t a statute but he isn’t a running threat and he doesn’t throw well on the move.
GH: Aside from Tolzien, Wisconsin is 4-8 in its last 12 road games, why have failed so much away from Camp Randall?
JP: Because they haven’t been as good as the teams they’ve faced. It’s just that simple. It has had little to do with the venue.
GH: Making you an opposing defensive coordinator, schematically, what do you do to slow down Wisconsin’s offense?
JP: I’d find a way to get pressure on Tolzien. Make him move around. You can’t really focus on one receiver as Tolzien spreads the ball around so well. But if I had to take one guy away I’d try to shut down TE Garrett Graham.
GH: Same question … how do you attack Wisconsin’s defense?
JP: I’d run the ball up the middle and challenge their DTs. That, to me, is the weak area of the run defense. If you run the ball effectively you’ll be able to hit some play-action passes.
GH: Local kid David Gilreath (Armstrong HS) … 2nd team All-Big Ten last year … this year: 4 catches, 54 yards … why hasn’t he had more success?
JP: Gilreath had off-season surgery on both feet (stress fractures). They limited his reps at wide receiver in two of the first three games and, to be blunt, they’ve got other guys to pick up the slack.
GH: It’s not tough to say that there’s no love lost between Bielema & Tim Brewster … how would you classify their relationship, or lack there of?
JP: As I noted earlier about Brewster and Bielema, I doubt any off-season meetings would be warm and fuzzy.
GH: Reading a recent chat of yours at jsonline.com, you say this game for the Badgers “makes the season in my opinion”. Why?
JP: I wrote in the chat that I did NOT think this game makes UW’s season…I was asked that question, though. My view is that UW still has two tough back-to-back games, at OSU and at home against Iowa. So if UW beats Minnesota but loses those two the victory isn’t all that important.
GH: Who wins, any why?
JP: I think UW will win a game dictated by the offenses. I’m not sure how well Minnesota can run the ball. I do believe Decker will have a very good game. He is too good to shut down. But I think UW has too many weapons on offense for Minnesota’s defense, particularly the secondary.
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